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<title>i need that fire just to know that i'm awake (until we go down) by highkinghosie</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23617798">i need that fire just to know that i'm awake (until we go down)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/highkinghosie/pseuds/highkinghosie'>highkinghosie</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Dusk’s Quarantine Prompt Challenge Extravaganza 2020 [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Voltron: Legendary Defender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Related, Injury, Intel Gathering Mission, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Prompt Fic, Season/Series 02, it has s2 vibes, kind of</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 17:01:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,181</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23617798</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/highkinghosie/pseuds/highkinghosie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>PROMPT: Fight &amp; Evaded // Keith/Lance.</em>
</p><p>As Lance's back is turned, busy picking the Galra off, he hears Keith yell, "Lance!"</p><p>Lance doesn't even get a chance to look at Keith before he's being shoved to the floor.</p><p>Keith is laying on top of him and standing over them is a Galra soldier with a sword. His sword is brandished in the spot where Lance once stood.</p><p>Right where his chest would have been.</p><p>-ˏˋ alternatively ˊˎ-</p><p>There's an injury, tension, and an almost-injury.</p><p>
  <span class="small">(Title from <em>Until We Go Down</em> by Ruelle.)</span>
</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Keith/Lance (Voltron)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Dusk’s Quarantine Prompt Challenge Extravaganza 2020 [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1698673</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>99</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>i need that fire just to know that i'm awake (until we go down)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I see this as taking place around S2, or at least that era? They're collecting intel and it's the old team dynamic, let's pretend they had to collect a bunch of intel from different Galra outposts before they could plan to takedown Zarkon.</p><p>Song for this oneshot is <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/0ON06ClWO2n1xSvSnHB0bb?si=rXbS6PoWTTSFG05JP8-7eQ"><em>Until We Go Down</em></a> by Ruelle.</p><p>I also have a klance playlist on Spotify <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6CSIFSidRbSxl57at9NsU7?si=zhC3tlv3SzGI2OME6UCiiw">« we do make a good team »</a>.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"You okay, Samurai?" Lance attempted to tease but he was too tired, his tone fell flat as he gasped for air.</p><p>"Fine," Keith gritted out, "you?"</p><p>Lance knew something was up by his tone so he whirled around to check on Keith who was by the holographic panel, Lance had been watching the door to make sure they weren't followed. Keith was clutching his left side, right arm wrapped around his stomach to presumably numb the pain, as he typed with his left.</p><p>"Damn it." Lance cursed as he rushed over, setting his Bayard down in favour of looking Keith over.</p><p>"I'm trying to get the intel here Lance." Keith huffed, having the audacity to sound annoyed.</p><p>"Yeah, well, use your other hand," Lance snapped, "I'm trying to see how bad this wound is. I'm strong but I don't think I can carry your ass back to the lions if you pass out from blood loss."</p><p>A strange expression crossed Keith's face and he relented, switching to his right hand for typing and lifting his left so Lance could get a clear view of the wound.</p><p>It wasn't too deep but the colour was off and there was yellow discharge … which is definitely not okay. It suddenly occurred to Lance that they were in a different atmosphere and this was an open wound. Who knows what kind of germs were infecting it?</p><p>"Once you're done doing … <em> whatever that is</em>," Lance paused to wave his hand in the direction of the holographic keyboard, "the data needs time to transfer, right?"</p><p>"Right?" Keith grimaced, dragging out the word, seemingly cautious of whatever was about to leave Lance's mouth.</p><p>"Will you be fine on your own for a bit?" Lance tried to stand a little taller, to cover up his nerves.</p><p>Keith looked up at Lance sharply looking aghast, "<em>what</em>?"</p><p>"Listen, this is an outpost, right? They've got soldiers coming in and out — probably always an inch from death what with their whole victory or death spiel — and what with healing pods being Altean tech I figure there's probably some kind of infirmary where I could steal some supplies."</p><p>"It's not that deep a wound!" Keith argued, his voice rising to a dangerous volume seeing as how they were <em>hiding</em>.</p><p>Keith grimaced when he too realized his mistake. They both turned to the door and blew out a sigh of relief when no one barged in.</p><p>"Keith, even you can't tell me that something isn't wrong with that." Lance ran a frustrated hand down his face.</p><p>"So? We'll book it back to the Green Lion when we're done. The Galra we knocked out won't <em>stay </em>knocked out. We're on a clock here."</p><p>Lance gritted his teeth, stepping away from Keith and picking his Bayard back up, "well, I think it's a risk to leave it alone but you're right about us being on a clock. The more you argue with me the more time gets wasted. So, you do that and I'll be looking for a way to keep you from dying."</p><p>Keith looked like he wanted to continue arguing or grab onto Lance but he looked between him and the screen in front of him before sighing, "go."</p><p>"Thanks for your permission." Lance bit out, opening the door to the room.</p><p>The hallways were empty thanks to Hunk's distraction. Turns out being good at cooking and recognizing deadly flora was a dangerous combination.</p><p>Pidge had dropped Keith and Lance off on the planet what seemed like a day before, they'd snuck into the kitchens and used Hunk's concoction and had to wait on the outskirts of the base to reap the full benefits.</p><p>It wasn't too bad waiting with Keith. They'd talked for a bit and taken turns watching the other sleep.</p><p>But as they'd entered the base two guards had spotted them. They managed to knock them out before they sounded the alarms but they'd been tough fighters.</p><p>They stuffed them in what looked like a utility closet — it was hard to tell, aliens are <em>weird </em>man — and then booked it to the control room.</p><p>It didn't take Lance long to find an infirmary, they probably had more than one, as Lance peeked inside he noticed a lot of patients on the beds and Galra medical staff running around hectically.</p><p>Right. The distraction.</p><p>The supplies were probably stored somewhere close to the infirmary but it didn't look like it was a connecting room. Which was a good thing, there was no way Lance would have made it in with all of those Galra in there.</p><p>But it was still incredibly risky because they would probably be rushing to the supply closet any second now. Or tick. Did they ever figure out the difference between seconds and ticks?</p><p>The safest bet would be to wait for someone to step out a follow them to the medical supply closet but they didn't have that kind of time.</p><p>Lance huffed in annoyance at the situation and crawled past the door. It vaguely reminded him of him and Hunk the night Shiro's escape pod crashed.</p><p>Lance was good at this, growing up in a household as full as his was you pick up a few tricks.</p><p>The closet was indeed near the infirmary, it was actually next to it but Lance hadn't been able to see the door from his previous angle. The downside to this was that it gave him no warning should someone be planning to walk it.</p><p>Lance tried to be quick, by grabbing a basket and swiping bandages, disinfectant, and some kind of cream into it. He only knew the disinfectant to be what it was because of his translator but the labelling on the cream seemed to be a word with no English equivalent.</p><p><em> Shit</em>.</p><p>Lance could hear someone approaching, with no other choice he ducked behind a shelf and curled up in a corner. His armour, sensing his panic, switched off all functionality.</p><p>The door opened and Galra stepped forward but paused, not walking into the room.</p><p>"What?" They yelled. Okay, so not all functionality was off because the translator on the helmet was working.</p><p>"Found it!" Lance heard someone answer back but the voice was echoing due to distance.</p><p>"Course' you did, now I walked all the way to this closet for nothing. Couldn't have found it earlier and saved me a trip." The Galra grumbled.</p><p>Lance let out a breath as the door closed behind the Galra and his suit lit back up.</p><p>Sneaking his way back to Keith took significantly longer, Lance kept hesitating. The near-encounter had made him antsy and paranoid.</p><p>But when he finally reached the control room it was empty.</p><p>At least he thought it was until someone pulled him in, he had a knife to his throat in seconds. Lance rolled his eyes already knowing it was Keith. A Galra would have sounded the alarm first or straight-up killed him.</p><p>"Oh, it's you." Keith huffed, releasing Lance.</p><p>"<em>Oh, it's you</em>," Lance mimicked, "glad I went through that trouble when you're not even grateful."</p><p>"You're such a child, and I <em> told </em>you not to go."</p><p>Lance sputtered, "well, I couldn't just leave that wound to fester! And you did not. You told me to <em>go</em>. Specifically. You said that very word."</p><p>Keith's lips twitched before he started unbuckling the top half of his armour.</p><p>Lance's brain skidded to a stop and his jaw dropped. Upon seeing his confusion Keith simply rolled his eyes and gestured to the cut. Right. Uh-huh. Keith needed to be topless if he was going to disinfect that nasty thing.</p><p><em> Crap</em>. He could do this. It's fine.</p><p>Lance, who was totally fine and not panicking at all, cleared his throat, "so how long till the data is left transferring."</p><p>"I'm guessing ten more minutes." Keith shrugged his armour off.</p><p>Lance watched as Keith pulled his arm through the black, skin-tight, one-piece inner layer of the suits.</p><p>Staring was weird, wasn't it? He should stop staring.</p><p>Lance forced his eyes to drift back to Keith's face but Keith was staring straight at him which did not help at all. Lance must have looked like an idiot just standing there staring at Keith, unable to close his jaw.</p><p>Keith raised an eyebrow prompting Lance to look back down and notice that the wound was properly exposed now — <em> because Lance had a clear view of Keith's entire torso</em>.</p><p>Lance gestured towards the table as he swallowed hoping Keith would get what he was trying to say and lean against the desk.</p><p>He did. Lance moved to stand in front of him and reached around Keith to place the box of stolen supplies on the desk next to him. Keith seemed flushed when Lance moved back, he hoped Keith wasn't burning up.</p><p>Lance placed his right arm on Keith's hip before pouring the bottle of disinfectant on the wound without warning causing Keith to hiss in pain, "<em>fuck</em>."</p><p>"Sorry." Lance nibbled on his bottom lip. The skin surrounding the gash was bright red, clearly inflamed.</p><p>Lance reached around Keith to put away the disinfectant, his hand still on his hip, as their knees touched Lance grabbed the cream instead. He had a feeling the cream was some kind of alien equivalent to petroleum jelly.</p><p>"That's cold." Keith hummed, his voice coming from right next to Lance's ear.</p><p>Lance didn't look at him, he didn't think he had it in him to stare into those purple eyes at this distance. Instead, he focused on making sure the wound was covered in cream.</p><p>When finished he put the cap back on the tube with one hand and tossed it in the box before grabbing the roll of gauze. He used the bandage to wipe up the disinfectant dripping down Keith's side before taking a step back to wrap it around his fellow Paladin.</p><p>You normally have to let it air-dry first but they definitely did not have time for that.</p><p>He was finally able to get a good look at Keith's face and he felt the air get knocked out of his lungs at the sight. Keith was staring at him with dark eyes filled with want.</p><p>Lance bit the inside of his cheek and attempted to focus on the task at hand. Keith was probably delirious from a fever, there was no other explanation.</p><p>Right as he finished wrapping Keith's body with the bandage a sound a heard from the forgotten panel.</p><p><em> Ding</em>!</p><p>"The transfer's done." Keith explained.</p><p>"Yeah, I got that," Lance rolled his eyes before huffing, "you put the suit back on, I know how to eject a drive."</p><p>Keith snorted but did as he was told.</p><p>Lance pulls the drive out from the port and slips it into his suit. When he looks up Keith is already done.</p><p>Their luck ends there because as they walk out of the room two Galra soldiers immediately spot them.</p><p>The two of them book it but it isn't long before an alarm is heard blaring around the whole outpost and the once empty halls fill up.</p><p>They all look to be in various states of disarray thanks to Hunk's mysterious poison so Lance isn't worried about them but the healthy ones are <em>fast</em>.</p><p>They charge after Lance and Keith. To avoid them getting too close Lance has to keep turning around and pausing momentarily so he can blast them with his Bayard, it makes him significantly slower than Keith.</p><p>As Lance's back is turned, busy picking the Galra off, he hears Keith yell, "<em>Lance</em>!"</p><p>Lance doesn't even get a chance to look at Keith before he's being shoved to the floor.</p><p>Keith is laying on top of him and standing over them is a Galra soldier with a sword. His sword is brandished in the spot where Lance once stood.</p><p>Right where his chest would have been.</p><p>Lance blasts the Galra in the chest before he can even blink, knocking him out cold and sending him sliding across the floor.</p><p>Keith quickly jumps up, offering a hand and pulling Lance up as soon as he grabs it.</p><p>Together they run, deciding to take their chances and not make any more stops.</p><p>They get stopped by soldiers again and again but none of them ever get as close as the other one. Keith is pissed and it's making him ruthless. His fighting style is completely different.</p><p>Where he's normally quick and smart his hits are now pure brunt force. He's gradually getting slower, the exhaustion from hitting hard instead of smart getting to him.</p><p>So Lance grabs his hand and pulls him along, pouring as much energy as possible into running.</p><p>They manage to make it out and head to the rendezvous point without being followed. They're probably too busy focusing on figuring out what mess Keith and Lance had made while in their base.</p><p>Pidge takes down Green's camouflage when they spot their fellow Paladins running. They spare Lance a quizzical glance, making a show of looking pointedly at Keith and Lance's joined hands, but they quickly turn to Green's control panel and takes-off.</p><p>The quick start sends the two tumbling a bit, Keith falls into Lance whose back hits the wall.</p><p>They don't say anything to each other, they don't even try to let go of each other's hand, they just sit there in heavy silence.</p><p>It's not awkward per se but it makes Lance anxious. It feels like they should be talking but Lance doesn't know about what.</p><p>Lance looks down at Keith's hand in his. He can feel it vibrating slightly as if it's trembling. That's when it hits Lance, truly hits him, that he could have <em>died</em>. Keith saved his life.</p><p>To stop his own rising panic Lance focuses on Keith. He gives his hand a squeeze and rubs circles on the back of it. When their eyes meet Lance knows Keith is still bothered by what happened but he's helping him, at least a tiny bit.</p><p>They're forced to finally let go of each other when Green flies into the Castle-ship.</p><p>Keith is the first one to walk out — more like run out — Lance waits for Pidge before walking alongside his favourite gremlin.</p><p>Pidge opens their mouth but Lance already knows what they're about to ask so he cuts them off, "<em>later</em>."</p><p>Pidge, unsatisfied by his requesting of a rain-check, pouts but relents nonetheless.</p><p>The truth is that Lance wouldn't even know how to answer Pidge's question and he wasn't sure if a few hours were going to change that.</p><p>The three of them make their way to the Bridge where Shiro was supposed to be waiting.</p><p>"How was it?" Shiro asks when he sees them.</p><p>"We got the intel." Lance shrugs, pulling out the drive to hand it to Shiro but Pidge snatches it out of his hand.</p><p>"I'll take that."</p><p>"<em>Pidge</em>." Shiro chastises sounding way too much like a dad.</p><p>"It's going to get connected to my laptop anyways." Pidge huffs before leaving the room so they can presumably change out of their armour and into normal clothes.</p><p>Shiro debriefs the two of them. Lance can see Keith keep turning to look his way out of the corner of his eye. He's probably worried about Lance because he keeps cutting Shiro off and answering the questions <em>for </em>Lance.</p><p>Lance doesn't know whether to be grateful or annoyed. Maybe both. He'd rather not be pitied but he's also not in the mood to be talking about how he nearly died. He'd rather pretend that never happened.</p><p>When the debriefing concludes Keith and Lance make their way to the armour room so they can put the suits away. Again, Lance notices Keith keep <em>glancing </em>at him. It's like he's scared Lance is going to disappear.</p><p>Keith finishes changing out of the suit before Lance but he leans against the pod storing the armour, crossing his arms as he waits.</p><p>When Lance is done Keith stalks over to him and grabs his hand, dragging him off in the direction of the rooms. Lance keeps quiet out of confusion, Keith seemed really upset.</p><p>"What …" Lance mutters with raised brows when Keith drags Lance past his room and into Keith's.</p><p>Once they're finally behind the safety of a closed-door Keith fists Lance's shirt and uses it to yank Lance down and into a searing kiss. Lance immediately leans into it, his eyes falling shut. If he didn't he would have gone stumbling backwards and probably fallen.</p><p>Lance takes a few steps back, pulling Keith with him as he goes.</p><p>Lance moves his hands to Keith's hips, digging his thumbs into the bone as he pulls Keith closer. Keith groans and slots a leg in-between Lance's.</p><p>Lance's back hits the wall, he must have started leaning back at some point. The angle of him leaning backwards with his hips out only makes it easier to pull Keith closer to him. There's no space between them now.</p><p>Keith drags out Lance's bottom lip with his teeth as they separate for air. They don't go far.</p><p>Keith dips his head down to mouth at Lance's neck, running a hand up the back of his shirt. Lance moves a hand up to fist Keith's mullet slightly, eliciting a moan. Feeling the vibrations from said moan on his neck sends a shiver down Lance's spine.</p><p>Keith moves away from Lance to stare back up at him. Lance bites his lip as he looks down at Keith. Keith is flushed and his pupils are blown wide but there's also a flickering of <em>something </em>in his eyes.</p><p>Lance stares intently into those purple eyes as he cups Keith's face and pulls it forward. Keith's eyes flutter close as their lips meet again but this time Lance is watching him, observing every muscle twitch closely.</p><p>There's something about the way Keith seems to be taking everything in.</p><p>He was <em>scared</em>. He's still reeling from the experience and trying to convince himself Lance is okay.</p><p>Lance feels something in his chest swell at the thought of Keith caring that much about him.</p><p>This time when they separate Keith steps back, clearing his throat as his eyes dart downwards, away from Lance's gaze.</p><p>"Don't do that again." Keith mutters, pursing his lips.</p><p>Lance's own lips twitch at the sight, "wasn't really my fault, <em> cariño</em>."</p><p>"Still, just … watch your back next time." Keith huffs, before crossing his arms and stalking out of the room.</p><p>Lance watches him leave, amused, until a thought occurs to him. Lance steps out, leaning out of the room as he yells down the hallway, "this is your room!"</p><p>Keith ignores him but Lance knows it's out of embarrassment because of the red flush creeping up his neck, reaching the tips of his ears.</p><p>Lance chuckles and steps out, turning around with a big smile on his face that falls when he notices who's standing there.</p><p>"<em>Shit</em>."</p><p>Hunk is there gaping, in his pyjamas for some strange reason, carrying a plate of … something.</p><p>"I knew it!" Hunk exclaims, beaming.</p><p>"<em>What</em>?"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>
  <b>Copyright:</b>
</p><p>Voltron: Legendary Defender © Netflix</p><p>
  <b>✩║ A/N ║✩</b>
</p><p>It kind of got away from me, whoops.</p><p>-ˏˋ <a href="https://borninthedusk.tumblr.com/post/615334157029179392/i-need-that-fire-just-to-know-that-im-awake">check out my tumblr for updates</a> ˊˎ-</p><p>This story is part of the <a>LLF Comment Project</a>, which was created to improve communication between readers and authors. This author invites and appreciates feedback, including:</p><ul>
<li>Short comments</li>
<li>Long comments</li>
<li>Questions</li>
<li>“&lt;3” as extra kudos</li>
<li>Reader-reader interaction</li>
</ul><p>
  <span class="small">Absolutely no critique please, I am always working on bettering myself but have crippling depression and anxiety.</span>
</p><p>This author sees and appreciates all comments, but may not reply to all.</p><p>Note: If you don’t want a reply, for any reason (social anxiety be like that sometimes fam), feel free to sign your comment with “whisper” and I will appreciate it but not respond!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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